For after all, although the mining town was not like Ditson Corners, human nature is about the same everywhere. Betty had done nothing disgraceful in marrying Dick Beckworth and leaving him so abruptly. But for hiding the unfortunate alliance and posing here as an unmarried girl, the tongue of gossip would undoubtedly drag both her own name and Ford’s through the mire of half-truths and suppositions.
If Nell loved Ford and thought that Dick might reveal something that would injure the parson, Betty hoped the singer would relent. Afterward she could in her own way explain to Nell.
The latter stared now at Betty; but Dick was quite in the line of her gun and her hand did not tremble.
“You—you mean he’s got something on the parson?” she asked.
Dick grinned. Betty tried to speak. Before another word could be said, however, there was a sudden outbreak of sound from below and loud voices on the stair.
“Betty!” shouted Joe Hurley’s voice.
“Is Nell Blossom there?” called Hunt.
Both young men were tramping up to this very room. They would be here in thirty seconds.
Betty came to her feet as though galvanized by an electric shock. She fumbled in her bosom and drew forth the key of the closet door. She extended it to Dick.
“Let him—let him hide!” she gasped.